Cost-Effective Packaging and Shipping Tips for Small Businesses

So, you have put all your efforts and huge resources to bring the best products to your customers. That’s amazing! But what if you fail to deliver your great products safely and at an affordable cost?

Shipping merchandise is one of the most complex operations, especially for small businesses. Your aim is to deliver your meticulously developed products in the best condition while keeping your expenses as low as possible. Unlike big companies, the cost of shipping remains a major concern of small business shippers who don’t ship hundreds of packages a day. If you are not sending larger shipments of several pallets at a time or can’t afford to hire a logistics provider, how can you minimize your shipping expenses?

If you’re struggling to bring your packaging and shipping costs down, you’re at the right place, at the right time! In this post, you’ll get some amazing tips to save your shipping costs, without compromising the safety of your products.

But before we look at some shipping tips, first you need to understand that shipping costs are determined by factors such as delivery time, the weight of the package, ship from/to addresses, dimensions of your box/container, insurance, and more. Now, let’s quickly move to the tips.

Use a Small & Light Package

Are you using the same size box to shipping all of your products? If you’re shipping small key chains in the same box that you use for delivering wall clocks, you’re making a mistake. As you know, large and heavy packages cost more to ship than smaller alternatives. Using custom designed mailer boxes is a brilliant idea to choose the right size for different products. By minimizing the empty space in the box, you don’t need to pay for extra protective padding and fillers. But make sure the box is neither too small nor too big so that your product can reach safely in that box. Remember, some minor changes can help you save dollars in transportation that ultimately translates to an improvement in financial performance.

Speak to Your Carrier to Save Money

It’s a fact that businesses that consult their carrier provider at the early stage can save 40 percent or more in fees by figuring out the best shipping criteria. As discussed above, even a few inches difference can significantly reduce costs, makes sure you discuss these factors with your shipping provider. For small businesses, it’s crucial to know how weight, dimensions, oversize charge, and other fees determine the overall shipping cost. You must consider when to ship a package by air or by ground because the cost depends on distance shipped and the weight, size, and value of the package. Also, get to know the mode of transportation and delivery timing of the chosen shipping service provider.

Multiple Shipping Partners

Most companies use a single shipping carrier in order to negotiate a lower cost. But it’s seen that businesses that use multiple carriers are able to enhance their customers’ satisfaction because they get different options to choose from. In addition to this, when you deal with more than one carrier provider, you may get a more competitive rate. Also, in this way, you will get the right services for different types of products.

Negotiate Rates

Don’t assume that rates are always fixed. Whether or not you ship hundreds of items frequently, you can always negotiate for a lower rate. However, usually the more you ship, the more discount and special rates you get. But in most cases, if you ship 100 packages every month, you’re likely to negotiate discounts and preferred rates.